Spring suspension for rear axle bogeys



March 12, 1957 R. c. NORRIE 2,784,930

SPRING SUSPENSION 0R REAR AXLE BOGEYS Filed Aug. 3, 1953 I 3Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Robert C. Norrie wwg g Fig. l

March 12, 1957 R. c. NORRIE SPRING SUSPENSION FOR REAR AXLE BOGEYS 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 3, 1953 mw m INVENTOR. Robert C. Norrie! March12, 1957 R. c. NQRRIE 2,784,980

SPRING SUSPENSION FOR REAR AXLE BOGEYS Filed Aug. 5, 1953 3She'ets-Sheet 5 Fig. 7 44 J i i INVENTOR.

- Robert C. Norrie SPRING SUSPENSIONFOR AXLE BOGEYS Application August3, 1953,'Sel"ialNo. 371,983

9 Claims. :(QL 280 -1045) -This inventionrelates to .spring suspensionconstruction for rear axlebogeys, and pertains especially to rear axlebogey hook-ups of the typeillustratedin U. 3. .Pat. No.2,078,521,1issued to H. .W. AldenApr'ilZV, 1937, namely a hook-.upincluding, at :each side :of the 'vehicle, multiple spring leaves boundin a stack and extending from one to the other rear axle with thecenterportion of the spring stack secured by a clamping bracket to the frameofthe vehicle, and .having ascomplements of the spring stacks sets oftorque rods to establish .fore and aft positioning of the rear axles,there being threesuch rods in each set two located below and .onelocated above the horizontal plane occupied by the axles. These torquerods are of a corresponding length and lie ,parallel to one another withthe outer endsbe ing reach-joined by a universal connection with the:fI'ODiOl' rearbogey rear axle, as the case maybe, ,and =with.the inner.ends being each joined by a :universal connection with :the vehicieframe. inaddition to establishing said fore and aft positioning .of theaxles, the rods prevent fore and aft tipping of the axles caused bydriving and braking torques.

The present invention has for its .object the provision of a bogey rearaxle spring suspension *perfected in the sense that there is provided aneffective means independentcf thespr'ing stacks ibracing the srear-taxleagainst lateral movement. Byusing the braced :rear bogey'axle as meansof positioning the rear ends :of the :two spring stacks my perfectedsuspensionprecludesthebrack et which clamps the center portion of eachspring stack to the frame from being subjected to-twist. Bracing of thefront bogey axle becomes unnecessary in that the positioning of eachspring stacks rear end inherently positions the spring stacks front end,and "the positioned front ends then act in concert to hold the frontbogey axle against lateral movement.

Other more particular objects and advantages of .the invention, will,with the foregoingappear .andbe understood in the course of thefollowing description and claims, the invention consistinginthenoveltconstruction and in the adaptation and combination of ,partshereinafter described and claimed.

in the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary underside plan view illustrating a rear axlebogey construction embodying the preferred teachings of thepresentinvention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view on line 22of 'Fig. 1, with the traction wheels deleted.

Pig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. i.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view on line 4-4of'Fig. 1, again deleting the traction wheels.

Pig. 5 is an enlarged ,scale detail transverse vertical sectional viewon line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

States Patent 0 Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectionalview on line 6--6 of Fig.5; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary transverse vertical :sectional view drawn to anenlarged scale .on line '7-7 of Fig. -2.

Referring to said drawings the reference numerals 10 and .11 denote thetwochannel members customarilyempioyed as longitudinal,principals in thevehicle frame. 12 and 13 denote the front and rear axles of the vehiclesrear axle bogey, and i iand 15 designate, .respectively, the housingsfor such axles. While I have, for simplicity in illustration, omittedany showingof engine-driven drive shafts, one or both axles are or maybe .driventhrough the usual differential gearing contained .indifferential housings 16 and 17. Thespring stacks which spring the axlesfrom the main frame are composed of a plurality of .:leaves 19 bound byclips 13. At its midlength each stack seatsupon a trunnion block 20which, with aniinterposed bushing 21 1of rubber or other suitableresilient material, fits over the projecting end of a throughtrunnion-shaft 22. A bolt 2f extends .through the trunnion shaft andthreaded "onto :the ends of the bolt are nuts which bring retainer caps25 'snugly to bear against the trunnion blocks. The resilient bushingsare brought under compression by pressure exerted from said caps.Porshackling the spring leaves to theblock there is employed the usualU-bolts .26 and associated nuts 27, the nuts-finding a purchase againstacap member 28 saddling the spring stack. The trunnion shaft is madesecure tothe frame principals iii and 11 byhangers 3t) and complementingstirrup-caps 31.

T he lower two leaves of each spring stack serve as main leaves andseatby their ends upon pads .32which are welded to the top face of eachof the 'two bogey rear axle housings. Vertically tapped bosses 33amformed upon said axle housings at opposite sides of :the seated springends, and a rebound retainer 34 bridges each of said seated spring endsand is secured in place by bolts 35 working in the tapped openings ofthe bosses. Pads 36 restrain the spring ends against lateral movementrelative to the axle. Each rebound retainer presents a shelf extension37 directed inwardly of the vehicle and surmountingthis shelfinunderlying relation to theframe principal 10 or 11, as the case may be,is a limit pad 38.

Two sets of three itorque rods are provided in the assembly, with oneset extending forwardly :from acen tral frame mounting "to the :frontbogey rear axle, and the other set extending rearwardly from a centralframe mounting to'the rear bogey rear axle, and the three rods in eachset are of corresponding length lying parallel to one another andarepositioned one .rod 40 above andth'e other two rods 41 and 42 belowthe horizontallplane occupied by the two axles. Each of these severalrods presents a bearing sleeve 43 at each of its two ends, and receivedin these sleeves are respective wrist ipins. The wristzpins for theouter ends of the lowerrods 41 and .42, and for both the inner and theouterends of the upper rods 4d, are substantially alike, presentingflatsided trunnions 44 extending laterally from opposite sides of aball-shaped journal 39, and these trunnions areeach transversely boredto accommodate bolts which secure the'wrist pins to the frame or to theaxle, as the case may be. As respects the frame mounting, a bracketextension 47 integral with the hanger 30 presents a fork into which thesleeve 43 projects, and the twortrunnions are secured to the forloarms48 by cap screws 49. The outer end mounting for the rod 4%) employs muchthe same arrangement, the sleeve in this instance projecting into theopening of a fork 50 which surmountsthe axle housing. Theouter endmountings for the rods '41 and 42 include a respective pendant forkintegral 'withithe axle housing, and the fork arms 52 are themselvesbifurcated. The trunnions fit in the slots of these bifurcated fork-armsand are secured thereto by bolts 53. For the inner ends of the lowerrods 41 and 42, the arrangement is one in which the terminal sleeve hasa ball-shaped fitting 54 journaled therein, and this fitting is carriedupon the tapered outwardly projecting end 55 of a pin 56 secured bybolts 57 to pendent fork-arms 58 made integral with the stirrup-cap 31.

Proceeding now to a description of the brace, it will be seen that therear bogey rear axle has a forwardly directed prong 60 made integralwith its differential housing 17 to occupy a position on the approximatelongitudinal median line of the vehicle, and engaging this prong is abox body 62 carried by two arms 63-64 placed angular to one another andeach extending from the trunnion-shaft 22, or more properly from arespective split trunnion block whose saddle principal 65 andcomplementing cap 66 are clamped upon the trunnionshaft with an elasticrubber bushing 67 interposed under compression between the same.Circumscribing collars 68 formed upon the trunnion-shaft and invested bythe compressed rubber bushings localize the trunnion blocks againstaxial movement.

The box body 62 is a special casting closed along the bottom, sides andback and providing a nodule 70 rising to a moderate height from thebottom wall 71 on the substantial longitudinal median line of the boxbody. The side walls 72-73 each have their inner surface faced with awear pad 74. The prong 6% is in the nature of a flat tongue overlyingthe nodule and provided along each of its two sides with wear pads 75arranged to brush the wear pads 74 (see Fig. A removable bolt 76spanning the access throat of said box body above the introduced prongserves the function of a keeper.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the triangularbrace, bearing by its apical box 62 upon the prong 60, holds the rearbogey rear axle against lateral movement. This imposed restraint enablesthe rear bogey rear axle to position the rear ends of both spring stacksagainst lateral movement, and the spring stacks then carry the imposedrestraint forward to the forward axle of the bogey rear axle assembly.The center spring bracket, being relieved of twisting action, takes onlyvertical load.

It is thought that the invention will have been clearly understood fromthe foregoing detailed description 7 of my now-preferred embodiment.Changes in the details of construction will suggest themselves and Iaccordingly intend that no limitations be implied and that the heretoannexed claims be given the broadest interpretation which the employedlanguage fairly permits.

I claim:

1. In a tandem. rear axle vehicle, in combination with the front andrear tandem rear axles, the vehicle main frame, and a frame-carriedtrunnion shaft extending transversely of the vehicle intermediate saidaxles, a multiple leaf spring beam at each side of the vehicle journaledby its center portion upon the trunnion shaft, connections between thefront and rear ends of each spring beam and the front and rear tandemrear axles, respectively, said connections positioning the spring endsagainst lateral movement relative to the axles, respective sets of atleast three torque rods extending parallel with one another from theframe to each of the two tandem rear axles, one of the rods in each setoccupying a position between the spring beams at one side of ahorizontal plane common to the two tandem rear axles while the other tworods in each set occupy positions at the other side of saidv horizontalplane and also at opposite sides of the longitudinal vertical planeoccupied by the first said rod, and a triangular brace extending fromthe trunnion shaft to at least one of said tandem rear axles and holdingthe related tandem rear axle against lateral movement, the triangularbrace including two angularly disposed legs converging from the trunnionshaft toward the concerned tandem rear axle, the connection from each ofsaid legs to the trunnion shaft comprising block and cap components of apivot bearing.

2. In a tandem rear axle vehicle, in combination with the front and reartandem rear axles, and the vehicle main frame, a multiple-leaf springbeam at each side of the vehicle having its center portion journaledfrom the frame for rocker movement about a transverse horizontal axislocated intermediate the two tandem rear axles, connections between thefront and rear ends of each spring beam and the front and rear tandemrear axles, respectively, respective sets of at least three torque rodsextending parallel with one another from the frame to each of the twotandem rear axles, and means establishing a connection between the'frameand at least one of said tandem rear axles holding the concerned tandemrear axle against lateral movement, said means comprising a triangularbrace connected by its narrow end with the axle and having the wide endjournaled from the frame for pivotal movements about an axis coincidingwith the rocker axis of the spring beams, the connection from the narrowend of thebrace to the concerned tandem rear axle being such as permitsthe end to cock itself relative to said axle, the connection between theaxle and the brace comprising interacting elements one of which is rigidwith the axle and the other of which is rigid with the brace, saidelements comprising a longitudinally directed horizontal prong and a boxbody in which said prong is received.

3. The vehicle construction of claim 2 in which the body has a topaccess opening for said prong normally closed by a removable keeper.

4. Vehicle construction according to claim 3 in which the prong and thebox admit to relative swivel motion about an axis normal to the axle.

5. In a tandem rear axle vehicle, in combination with the front and reartandem rear axles and the vehicle main frame, a suspension hook-up ateach side of the vehicle springing the ends of the front and rear axlesfrom the frame and holding said axle ends to oscillatory movement inpredetermined arcuate paths taken about transverse centers which arefixed relative to the frame, and means for holding said axles againstlateral movement comprising a triangular brace connected by its narrowend with one of said axles and having the wide end journaled from theframe for pivotal movement about an axis coinciding with the centerabout which the concerned axle oscillates, the connection from saidbrace to the concerned tandem rear axle being such as allows the axle tocock itself relative to the brace, the connection with the axle fromsaid narrow end of the triangular brace being comprised of alongitudinally directed horizontal prong rigid with one of saidconnected members and fitting in a box body rigid with the other of saidconnected members.

6. Structure according to claim 5 in which the frame journal for saidtriangular brace is composed of elastic rubber.

7. A construction according to claim 5 in which the box body has a topaccess opening for the prong normally closed by a removable keeper.

8. A construction according to claim 5 in which the prong admits to amoderate degree of vertical movement within the box body.

9. In a tandem rear axle vehicle, in combination with the front and reartandem rear axles and the vehicle main frame, a suspension hook-up ateach side of the vehicle springing the ends of the front and rear axlesfrom the frame and holding said axle ends to oscillatory movement inpredetermined arcuate paths taken about transverse centers which arefixed relative to the frame, and means for holding said axles againstlateral movement comprising a triangular brace connected by its narrowend with one of said axles and having the wide end journaled from theframe for pivotal movement about eyes-pea 5 6 an axis coinciding withthe center about which the con- 2,204,087 Konetsky June 11, 1940 cernedaxle oscillates, the journal connection for said 2,239,286 Freitag Apr.22, 1941 wide end of the brace comprising block and cap com- 2,300,844Olley Nov. 3, 1942 ponents of axially spaced pivot bearings. 2,639,166Jones May 19, 1953 5 2,713,498 Brown s- July 19, 1955 References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,078,521 Alden Apr.27, 1937

